MG ZT CDTI, 190, or something else?
Discussion
My mum had a 2.0cdti 75 from new to 180k she loved it says it was easily the best car to sit in and cruise around in she's ever owned, she did like to drive EVERYWERE at 60 though, think she managed about 45mpg most of the time.
She was gutted when the dmf went and it got scrapped for parts, she's got a c class now and she doesn't rate it anywhere nearly as high.
She was gutted when the dmf went and it got scrapped for parts, she's got a c class now and she doesn't rate it anywhere nearly as high.
I run an '03 1.8T (160bhp K-series) MGZT, and I love it.
Returns 32-34mpg on average, nudges 40mpg on a run, engine is a peach, very comfy and a very nice place to be
Remap to 200bhp ish if you are so inclined.
You won't get anything like a 30mpg average out of a 190, maybe on a run, but typically mid-high 20s is more realistic.
Returns 32-34mpg on average, nudges 40mpg on a run, engine is a peach, very comfy and a very nice place to be
Remap to 200bhp ish if you are so inclined.You won't get anything like a 30mpg average out of a 190, maybe on a run, but typically mid-high 20s is more realistic.
Edited by BigTom85 on Thursday 28th November 13:55
My mum had a 2.0cdti 75 from new to 180k she loved it says it was easily the best car to sit in and cruise around in she's ever owned, she did like to drive EVERYWERE at 60 though, think she managed about 45mpg most of the time.
She was gutted when the dmf went and it got scrapped for parts, she's got a c class now and she doesn't rate it anywhere nearly as high.
She was gutted when the dmf went and it got scrapped for parts, she's got a c class now and she doesn't rate it anywhere nearly as high.
Iv been running a manual ZT CDTI for 3 years now on 75% fast a road / 25% motorway. Covered 65k in that time.
I love it.
It feels v well built, holds the road well (stiffest chassis in its class they say!), averages 43 mpg at 70mph everywhere, all with a rover ron tuning box for extra grunt (get one - plug and play), is comfy, the boot is huge and I think it looks pretty good too.
In that time, its had new seals on the fuel pump and a new lower wishbone. That's pretty much it.
Get one that's had a clutch done for £2k any mileage... Bargain.
Recommended ! A++++ !
I love it.
It feels v well built, holds the road well (stiffest chassis in its class they say!), averages 43 mpg at 70mph everywhere, all with a rover ron tuning box for extra grunt (get one - plug and play), is comfy, the boot is huge and I think it looks pretty good too.
In that time, its had new seals on the fuel pump and a new lower wishbone. That's pretty much it.
Get one that's had a clutch done for £2k any mileage... Bargain.
Recommended ! A++++ !
BigTom85 said:
I run an '03 1.8T (160bhp K-series) MGZT, and I love it.
Returns 32-34mpg, engine is a peach, very comfy and a very nice place to be
Without sounding like a numpty I'm bit skeptical of the K-series - My mum had 2 HG failures in her MG-F trophy 160, as did my uncle on his Trouphy 160, and my brother had one on his MG-TF then the engine went kaboom!Returns 32-34mpg, engine is a peach, very comfy and a very nice place to be
Otherwise they look like a good inbetweener!
Chimune said:
Iv been running a manual ZT CDTI for 3 years now on 75% fast a road / 25% motorway. Covered 65k in that time.
I love it.
It feels v well built, holds the road well (stiffest chassis in its class they say!), averages 43 mpg at 70mph everywhere, all with a rover ron tuning box for extra grunt (get one - plug and play), is comfy, the boot is huge and I think it looks pretty good too.
In that time, its had new seals on the fuel pump and a new lower wishbone. That's pretty much it.
Get one that's had a clutch done for £2k any mileage... Bargain.
Recommended ! A++++ !
Awesome, thank you!I love it.
It feels v well built, holds the road well (stiffest chassis in its class they say!), averages 43 mpg at 70mph everywhere, all with a rover ron tuning box for extra grunt (get one - plug and play), is comfy, the boot is huge and I think it looks pretty good too.
In that time, its had new seals on the fuel pump and a new lower wishbone. That's pretty much it.
Get one that's had a clutch done for £2k any mileage... Bargain.
Recommended ! A++++ !
There aren't too many estates about at the moment, but I'm looking!
Hello,
I ran a Rover 75 CDTI saloon (the 130hp version) for about a year. No issues whatsoever with the engine, average of around 43 mpg. Extremely comfortable, they were not too far off the S-class of their time in that regard.
They are an excellent long distance cruiser, It would comfortably make a Blackpool-Plymouth run using less than 1/2 tank of fuel.
Extremely good VFM IMHO.
The only reason I got rid of mine was because I was 21 years old at the time....
I ran a Rover 75 CDTI saloon (the 130hp version) for about a year. No issues whatsoever with the engine, average of around 43 mpg. Extremely comfortable, they were not too far off the S-class of their time in that regard.
They are an excellent long distance cruiser, It would comfortably make a Blackpool-Plymouth run using less than 1/2 tank of fuel.
Extremely good VFM IMHO.
The only reason I got rid of mine was because I was 21 years old at the time....
AGee said:
What's the average life of a clutch on these then, and are they pricey to replace?
Difficult to say. It's usually the hydraulics (slave cylinder) that fails before the clutch plates themselves.Some have failed as low as 20,000 miles, and I saw a car last week that had 180,000 on - still on the original clutch and hydraulics.
I would say a great deal of it is to do with how sympathetically the clutch has been used.
Bennet said:
1.8t is reputed to be the best engine choice. The last time I looked the diesels were double the price.
The head gasket will go once every 50,000 miles or so and cost you £400 to fix.
Load of bThe head gasket will go once every 50,000 miles or so and cost you £400 to fix.
ks 
I'd avoid the 1.8t. Very few of this variant seem to reach decent mileage figures.
A N/A 1.8 will be good for a long while, if you get a decent gasket fitted, along with all the bits that cause the HG to fail.
A diesel is probably a very good bet if you want reliable / fuel economy.
V6 are a good bet for noise / reliability / acceleration.
SebastienClement said:
Load of bks
I'd avoid the 1.8t. Very few of this variant seem to reach decent mileage figures.
A N/A 1.8 will be good for a long while, if you get a decent gasket fitted, along with all the bits that cause the HG to fail.
A diesel is probably a very good bet if you want reliable / fuel economy.
V6 are a good bet for noise / reliability / acceleration.
Not bks I'd avoid the 1.8t. Very few of this variant seem to reach decent mileage figures.
A N/A 1.8 will be good for a long while, if you get a decent gasket fitted, along with all the bits that cause the HG to fail.
A diesel is probably a very good bet if you want reliable / fuel economy.
V6 are a good bet for noise / reliability / acceleration.
ks at all. Some of the specialists (Read: EXPERTS) recommend the 1.8T over the V6. The diesel can be long lived, but not wihout its (expensive) faults. DMF/clutches are a £450+ job, injectors are common, the 3 fuel pumps all go wrong, thermostat is a big job to replace properly, and its noisy and often not as frugal as expected. Why compromise, just buy a bloody petrol!Look after the cooling system and the 1.8T is the best of the bunch. And when it does go wrong it's a doddle to fix. Cambelt is a DIY 3hr job, not a 10hr job requiring specialist tools like the V6. 33mpg vs 27mpg, very similar performance to the V6 (1.8T doesn't rev out quite so well, but also has a slug of low down torque missing from the 190, the 1.8T is also widely reported to put out more bhp than stated), easily as long lived (lots of stories of V6's having irreparable damage to water jackets, snapping camshafts etc). No inlet manifold to fail (new replacements NLA and no fix available), no VIS motors to go wrong, lots of access in the engine bay etc etc. 1.8T is lighter than the diesels and V6s, hence feels lighter on its feet and as such turns in more crisply and is much easier on suspension components.
A 190 in fine fettle is a lovely thing, but a 1.8T is 90% of the pleasure with lower running costs, lower purchase price and less risk.
Maintaining a 1.8T is an easy DIY proposition, it takes much more committment to DIY a 190.
All engines can be rewarding to own, have their pros and cons etc. Pay your money and take your choice.
Slightly o/t here - now that my X-Type has gone (knackered engine) i need a new car so been looking at the MG-ZT, the 2.5 V6 appeals & they seem an absolute bargain.
Going to look at an 03 plate model in the morning for which the princely sum of £999 is required!!!
Can i go wrong?
SWMBO doesnt want a diesel hence i have discounted the CDTI's.
Going to look at an 03 plate model in the morning for which the princely sum of £999 is required!!!
Can i go wrong?
SWMBO doesnt want a diesel hence i have discounted the CDTI's.
BigTom85 said:
SebastienClement said:
Load of bks
I'd avoid the 1.8t. Very few of this variant seem to reach decent mileage figures.
A N/A 1.8 will be good for a long while, if you get a decent gasket fitted, along with all the bits that cause the HG to fail.
A diesel is probably a very good bet if you want reliable / fuel economy.
V6 are a good bet for noise / reliability / acceleration.
Not bks I'd avoid the 1.8t. Very few of this variant seem to reach decent mileage figures.
A N/A 1.8 will be good for a long while, if you get a decent gasket fitted, along with all the bits that cause the HG to fail.
A diesel is probably a very good bet if you want reliable / fuel economy.
V6 are a good bet for noise / reliability / acceleration.
ks at all. Some of the specialists (Read: EXPERTS) recommend the 1.8T over the V6. The diesel can be long lived, but not wihout its (expensive) faults. DMF/clutches are a £450+ job, injectors are common, the 3 fuel pumps all go wrong, thermostat is a big job to replace properly, and its noisy and often not as frugal as expected. Why compromise, just buy a bloody petrol!Look after the cooling system and the 1.8T is the best of the bunch. And when it does go wrong it's a doddle to fix. Cambelt is a DIY 3hr job, not a 10hr job requiring specialist tools like the V6. 33mpg vs 27mpg, very similar performance to the V6 (1.8T doesn't rev out quite so well, but also has a slug of low down torque missing from the 190, the 1.8T is also widely reported to put out more bhp than stated), easily as long lived (lots of stories of V6's having irreparable damage to water jackets, snapping camshafts etc). No inlet manifold to fail (new replacements NLA and no fix available), no VIS motors to go wrong, lots of access in the engine bay etc etc. 1.8T is lighter than the diesels and V6s, hence feels lighter on its feet and as such turns in more crisply and is much easier on suspension components.
A 190 in fine fettle is a lovely thing, but a 1.8T is 90% of the pleasure with lower running costs, lower purchase price and less risk.
Maintaining a 1.8T is an easy DIY proposition, it takes much more committment to DIY a 190.
All engines can be rewarding to own, have their pros and cons etc. Pay your money and take your choice.
I'm not arguing, just genuinely intrigued.
Edited by sjc on Saturday 30th November 00:12
sjc said:
I can't see a MGZT/75 in your car history,so have you owned one? And who are these specialists (Read: "EXPERTS") that apparently recommend a 1.8 over the V6 190, because I've never heard that in 4 years of ownership and 14 years of driving just about every ZT/75 variant (from a dealer that's been going over 100 years, and a MG one since the company was formed). And if a V6 cambelt change is a 10 hour job, then the various places that charge around 500/600 quid to do all 3 belts will be going bust very very quickly! Aside from the fact it's 6 years or 90,000 miles, but they were manufactured with a 10 year 150K life span in mind,so hardly a massive running cost.. As for getting 90% of the pleasure from a 1.8,although it's purely subjective,for me it's not gonna happen. It's a buzzy engine (even worse suited to the 75)that needs it's water level checking every week ( uprated gasket or not, you end up doing it for peace of mind anyway) and I'd bet my bottom dollar that there's are a far far bigger percentage of high mileage original V6 engines out there than 1.8's. And although I'm not a fan, 300K mile diesels for that matter.
I'm not arguing, just genuinely intrigued.
I'm not arguing, just genuinely intrigued.
Edited by sjc on Saturday 30th November 00:12
My one, pic taken at MGs in the Park.
Please don't interpret my message as condemning the 190, far from it! I was just trying to add some balance. Both engines have their pros and cons, but neither is necessarily a bad choice.
I'm not going to name anyone, but if you ever mingle at any meets you will meet experts and specialists who will confirm what I've said. It really is swings and roundabouts though, it just gets my back up a bit when the 1.8T is unfairly slated.
It may well have been the case 5 years ago that the 1.8T (note I am talking about the Turbo, the NA 1.8 is fine but gutless) was to be avoided, but as time goes on people have come to appreciate that they are a doddle to work on, cheap to fix, and more reliable than it has received credit for. Also as time goes on we are seeing more and more V6 engines fail and needing to be replaced, and not necessarily neglected examples either.
With respect to cambelts, I was referring to DIY, not garage rates. I have done cambelts on k-series in well under 2 hours using only a £9 special tool, but know I'd need to spend £200 on tools and set aside a weekend to tackle the KV6. For the owner who likes to DIY the 1.8T is a friendlier prospect.
I love the KV6, I owned an MGZS 180 and it was a riot. But I think the 1.8T suits the ZT perfectly.
I have to rate the cars too.
I have owned a ztt diesel and other than the orings popping off the intercooler and loosing boost it has no trouble. I owned it for a few years and loved it. Loved having the fuel burning heater in the mornings to warm the car before I got in and still miss that now. Got about 40mpg on the motorway at a steady speed but round town was not that good. Good strong and trouble free
I do less miles now and I have a ZTT V6 2.5L 180 sitting on the drive, only really used as a load lugger as I have an E90 for mpg and daily. I really love the V6 engine and the car was a press car so is fully loaded. To me it does not make sense to sell it because of the low value its worth and it only costs a few hundred to keep on the road each year (insurance, tax, mot, service) The car had not wanted much other than belts and thermostats, I would probably say I need to look at the VIS motors too as the mpg has been bad recently but not to a point it really bothers me.
Going to say that the ZTT is a much better car than the E90 but they are too very different cars. I would strongly advise that this is a contender as they are quite cheap to buy, cost effective to run and mostly trouble free.
As for the K series, its got a bad reputation but even if you replaced the head gasket every 50k it would still be a cheap car to run and I have had many other cars that have lost the head gasket early on or had other major problems but I would just fix it myself as its easy enough to do on the drive.
My vote would probably be a facelift auto diesel but that V6 is lovely...
I have owned a ztt diesel and other than the orings popping off the intercooler and loosing boost it has no trouble. I owned it for a few years and loved it. Loved having the fuel burning heater in the mornings to warm the car before I got in and still miss that now. Got about 40mpg on the motorway at a steady speed but round town was not that good. Good strong and trouble free
I do less miles now and I have a ZTT V6 2.5L 180 sitting on the drive, only really used as a load lugger as I have an E90 for mpg and daily. I really love the V6 engine and the car was a press car so is fully loaded. To me it does not make sense to sell it because of the low value its worth and it only costs a few hundred to keep on the road each year (insurance, tax, mot, service) The car had not wanted much other than belts and thermostats, I would probably say I need to look at the VIS motors too as the mpg has been bad recently but not to a point it really bothers me.
Going to say that the ZTT is a much better car than the E90 but they are too very different cars. I would strongly advise that this is a contender as they are quite cheap to buy, cost effective to run and mostly trouble free.
As for the K series, its got a bad reputation but even if you replaced the head gasket every 50k it would still be a cheap car to run and I have had many other cars that have lost the head gasket early on or had other major problems but I would just fix it myself as its easy enough to do on the drive.
My vote would probably be a facelift auto diesel but that V6 is lovely...
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